For The Love Of Words

FTLOW: Hi Stephen, and thank you for joining us today.

SR: Thanks for having me, Kenneth!

FTLOW: You recently published your first novel, A Plot For Pridemore. Could you tell us a little about it?

SR: Well, it’s the story of a small town in Missouri called Pridemore that has fallen on hard times. Storefronts are boarded up, jobs are leaving town, that sort of thing. The mayor of Pridemore, who has run the town for more than 40 years, has tried everything to turn things around. He and the other power brokers in Pridemore finally decide that the best solution is to create a made-for-cable-TV-news type of crisis that will draw media attention and will put Pridemore on the map. They begin to execute this scheme, and they get the media exposure they crave, but things don’t go exactly as planned.

FTLOW: What inspired you to write your first book?

SR: Becoming a published author has been a dream of mine for my entire adult life. I actually wrote an earlier manuscript in my 20s that I never did anything with in terms of trying to get it published. That’s a probably a good thing, as I don’t think I had enough life under my belt to write 300 pages that anyone other than my mother would want to read. I felt differently when writing A Plot for Pridemore. I always believed in the story and I thought the characters were multi-layered and interesting. Even though it took me about five years to write, I always felt it would somehow find a home in the publishing world.

FTLOW: When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer?

SR: You may not remember this, but you and I were actually in a newspaper writing class in high school, and we wrote for the high school paper. That was the first time I realized that writing could be enjoyable, and that I might actually become pretty good at it. I have been fortunate to have a career that has always involved writing, first as a newspaper reporter, then as an editor and now a copywriter and content manager. I think my experience with many different types of writing has certainly helped my abilities and confidence as an author.  

FTLOW: How long did it take you to write A Plot For Pridemore?

SR: Five years, off and on. I wrote it when I could fit it into my regular life. I have never had the discipline to sit down and crank out a page of prose every day. So when I did write, I would write three or four chapters, then I would walk away from it for a couple of months. That is why it took me so long. Hopefully, my next book will go more quickly!

FTLOW: Do you have a specific writing style?

SR: That is an interesting question. I think you would find my writing voice is very similar to my everyday voice. My writing style is not overly frilly or descriptive. It is down-to-earth, dry and a little bit cryptic. I like to think my writing is accessible, relatable and pretty funny. Imagine you are out on the backyard deck having a cigarette with your favorite uncle, and he’s telling you a story that maybe isn’t appropriate for the rest of the family—that is the kind of voice that I hope my writing evokes.    

FTLOW: Are any events in your writing influenced by people or events in your life?

SR: The years I spent as a reporter were invaluable. Not only did I learn how to communicate ideas in coherent sentences, I also learned a lot about how the world operates, especially in the realms of business and government. I interviewed many colorful characters along the way as well. I learned that most things are not exactly as they appear on the surface, and that even well-meaning people are flawed. I think those experiences have fueled my character development, which I think is probably my strength as a writer.

FTLOW: What books or writers have influenced you the most?

SR: Joseph Heller, Phillip Roth, John Kennedy Toole, Carl Hiaasen, Tom Perrotta and Mark Twain are just a few that come to mind. I love writers that can tell a story, include biting satire and make you laugh out loud. I just read Modern Baptists by a Louisiana author named James Wilcox, and it was one of the funniest books I’ve read in a long time.

FTLOW: Are there any new authors that have grasped your interest?

SR: Being affiliated with Mercer University Press has introduced me to some wonderful writers of Southern fiction like Raymond Atkins, Marly Youmans and Terry Kay. I feel honored to have been published by the same press as those authors.

FTLOW: What are your current projects?

SR: Right now, I am focused on promoting A Plot for Pridemore any way that I can. I have several book signings and a couple of book conferences lined up. I’m going to attend the Southern Festival of Books this October in Nashville, and then the Georgia Literary Festival in Augusta in November.

Once things settle down from promoting Pridemore, I hope to finish work on my next novel.

FTLOW: Could you share a little with us?

SR: My next book centers on three middle-aged guys who live in the suburbs and play together in a band. They get the bright idea to go on a road trip and play a few gigs, and all sorts of craziness ensue. I am about 80 pages into the book, and I hope to have it finished by early next year. While the subject matter of this novel will be different from A Plot for Pridemore, the humorous, satirical writing style will be familiar to people who read my first book.

FTLOW: Did you encounter any challenges during the writing or publication of your novel?

SR: The only challenge during the writing portion of the process was time. It’s not easy shoe-horning a novel in with a career, marriage and other parts of life. Finding an agent or a publisher was also a very long process. It is difficult to draw attention to your book if you don’t have any contacts in the publishing industry, and I truly did not have any.

FTLOW: Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?

SR: I learned that I really enjoyed the process of writing. I imagine that creative writing is a lot like running. It’s hard to motivate yourself to get off the couch and run five miles, but once you get past that first mile or so, you start to enjoy it. It’s the same way with writing. Forcing yourself to sit down and write 100 words is challenging. Once you get past those 100 words, however, you are usually submerged in the little world you are creating and the ideas start to flow. Next thing you know, two hours have flown by, and you have three pages of half-decent writing to show for it. 

FTLOW: Do you have any advice for other writers?

SR: The only advice I have is that, once you have completed a draft that you feel pretty good about, share it with a handful people whose critical opinions you respect. Encourage those readers to be brutally honest about your draft. Not only will they give you their opinions, but they may have some valuable ideas of how you can improve the story. The book is your work, but don’t close yourself off from outside opinions and ideas.

FTLOW: What is your work schedule like when writing?

SR: My schedule is, “whenever I have time.” Usually that is a couple of nights each week after we have put our four-year-old to bed.

FTLOW: What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

SR: I love to just spend time with my wife and son, and visit with friends. And, of course, I enjoy reading as many books as I can get my hands on. 

We want to thank Stephen for his time today. A review of Stephen's novel is upcoming on FTLOW so stay tuned for that. Below is the Amazon link to purchase A Plot For Pridemore. Thanks for stopping by today Barber-ians and, as always, keep reading!

http://www.amazon.com/A-Plot-Pridemore-Novel/dp/0881464821